Piano



W. HOMM May 3, 1938.

PIANO Filed Nov. 11, 1936 INVENTOR. WALTQ HOMM mada ATTORNEY Patented May 3, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

I in viding a shifting keyboard, which so far has not been possible in an upright piano.

A further advantage of this invention lies in the ability, through the present construction, as hereinafter disclosed, to reduce the height of the 15 present uprights, one of the main objections made by a prospective buyer in these modern times.

Still another advantage lies in the introduction of a new regulating button, which in addition to the capstan screw now used in ordinary pianos 20 makes the adjustment of the hammer swing an easy matter.

A still further advantageous feature lies in the fact that the height from the keyboard to the hammer striking point is reduced to approxi- 25 mately six and one-half inches, a feature made possible by the introduction of a repetition lever.

With the above and other objects in view, this invention consists of the novel features of con- 30 struction, combination and arrangement of parts,

hereinafter fully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming part of this application, and in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts, and in which:

The figure is a side elevational view of my improved arrangement in the construction of a piano showing one unit comprising the key and hammer members necessary in the operation of 40 my device, the continuous rails, serving all keys, are shown in section, while in dotted lines are further shown the relative position of the major parts in motion.

Referring more particularly to the drawing,

5 Ill indicates a key in natural position and the coordinate arrangement, including the front key pin II, the balance key pin l2, and the capsta screw 13.

The whip I4 is hinged to a member l5, as seen 50 at 16, and said member is in turn, by a screw l'l, fastened to a butt rail l8. A bridge, or crossmember, has one end secured to the whip 14, while a repetition lever 2| is hingedly mounted upon the other end of said bridge, as shown at 55 22, and actuated by the repetition lever spring 23. Beneath the whip is arranged an extended portion l9 adapted to engage the capstan screw l3. To the end of the repetition lever 2| is secured another member 24, and to the latter is in turn hingedly connected a jack a jack-checkspring 26 engages the heel of said jack, keeping the latter in proper position.

The jack 25 engages the butt 2'! of which the hammer shank 28 and hammer 29 are integral parts. To the whip I4 is furthermore secured a damper spoon 30 constructed to engage the damper flange 3|; said damper flange is hinged to a member 32, which by means of a screw is secured to a separate rail 34. A spring secured to a small pin 33 mounted in member 32 keeps the damper 36 in the normal position, i. e., resting on the strings, indicated here by 31; when the key is struck the position of the same will be as partly indicated in dotted lines. The upward movement of the capstan screw forces the end 38 of the repetition lever against the regulating button 39, arranged adjustably in the rail 40; after contacting said button the member 24 and the jack hingedly secured to the same, will actuate the butt, and subsequently the hammer will hit the strings with a blow proportionate in force to the one applied to the key.

A rail 4| with a regulating button 42 mounted thereon is so arranged that the heel of the jack will engage said button when the hammer is at a predetermined distance from the strings; a continuous movement will then force the jack to swing away from the butt, thereby releasing the pressure on said butt, and giving the hammer spring 43, secured to the rail 44 an opportunity to bring the hammer back from the strings immediately after contact with the same.

A member 45 fastened to the top of the butt will on this backward movement engage a backcheck 46 arranged on the whip and by holding the hammer a short distance away from the strings, giving the jack actuated by the jackspring an opportunity to fall back into normal position, when pressure is released from the key.

The damper will by the downward movement of the other end of the whip 41 and the damper spoon secured thereto be removed from the strings, and spring 35 will then bring it back in normal position, when pressure is released.

It is obvious that changes may be made in the 1 form, construction and arrangement of the several parts, as shown and described herein, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I do not therefore wish to limit myself to the exact construction and arrangement shown and described herein.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

A device of the class described, comprising a key, a front key pin and a balance key pin 00- operating with said key, and a capstan screw secured to the latter, a whip hingedly attached to a rail, and having a repetition lever mounted thereon, a jack pivotally arranged upon said repetition lever, and a check-spring engaging the heel of said jack, two set-buttons adapted to contact the repetition lever and the heel of said jack, a spring actuating the repetition lever, a butt hinged to a member, the latter being secured to a rail, and a hammer shank and hammer forming an integral part of said butt, a spring actuating the latter, a backcheek secured to the whip, and a cooperating member connected to said butt, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

WALTER HOMM. 

